Towing Service Bakersfield CA

Tire Repair Bakersfield CA | How To Add Air To Tires

     Below's excerpt from the book ​Dare to Repair Your Car, A Do-It-Herself Guide to Maintenance, Safety, Minor Fix-its, and Talking Shop (1st ed, copyright 2005) by Julie Sussman & Stephanie Glakas-Tenet is a very informative take on the process of adding air or nitrogen to your tires. For emergency flat tire change call us.  We will have a an expert technician ready to help you where ever you are in Bakersfield area and surrounding ares in Kern county.

Adding Air to Tires

Very few people have air compressors in their garages, so the majority of us need to go to a service station to put air in our tires. Don't assume that every service station has an air pump and that using it will be free. Some stations charge for air – of course, we never thought we'd be paying for bottled water, right?

Pull your car up to the air pump and turn it off Remember; you're going to add the difference between the cold psi reading and the recommended psi for your tires. Refer to your notes if necessary.

Before you put the air into your tire, you need to release some air from the hose by depressing the notched part of the tire gauge onto the air valve. Why? Some air hoses get water inside just from being exposed to the elements, so by doing this you won't get moisture in your tire.

Note: Air compressor systems may vary from service station to service station; therefore, if you have any questions, ask the attendant for help.
Depress the air hose nozzle onto the valve stem, making sure that the air is entering and not escaping from the tire. (If you hear a hissing sound, then air is escaping.) Squeeze the handle and hold for just a few seconds.

Now use the tire gauge to take another psi reading. Did you add the right amount? If you've added too much air, just release some by using the notched end of the tire gauge to depress the metal stem in the center of the valve. If you need more air, depress the air hose nozzle over the stem valve and add more air. Check the psi again. If it's right, replace the valve cover and tighten. Repeat with each tire.
Note: Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure stated on the tire's sidewall.

Adding Nitrogen to Tires

If you're a NASCAR fan, you may already know that racecar drivers, have been filling their tires with nitrogen instead of air It sounds so strange, doesn't it? But nitrogen makes up about 80 percent of the air we breathe (and the air in our tires), so it's not dangerous.
In fact, nitrogen has been proven to extend the life of the tires because unlike oxygen (a.k.a. air) there is no moisture in it – and moisture can cause a tire to deteriorate prematurely. Also, oxygen escapes 3 to 4 times faster than nitrogen. This means that there will be less loss of pressure, thereby providing better handling of the car; greater fuel efficiency, and extended life for the tires.

There are some downsides to using nitrogen. First, you need to take the car to a mechanic who has a machine that can completely remove the air that's in the tires before filling them with nitrogen. (Mixing the two gases won't ruin the tires; you just won't get the benefit from the pure nitrogen.) Second, you'll have to find a gas station that has a nitrogen filling tank. And you'll have to pay for the nitrogen, unlike air; which is (usually) free."